Three suspects wounded in three-hour standoff after Karak church attack

Jordanian security forces ended a multi-day search for gunmen who attacked a church in Karak governorate by arresting three suspects on Monday.

The suspects were found hiding in an abandoned house in the village of Al-Jadeeda, according to the Public Security Directorate. They refused to surrender and opened fire on officers, who returned gunfire and wounded all three men during a confrontation that lasted approximately three hours.

A government source described the injuries as serious, with one suspect in critical condition. Petra News Agency reported that no security personnel were killed in the exchange, and firearms and live ammunition were recovered from the site.

Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani confirmed the arrests in a statement posted on X, describing the action as a successful joint operation. The Public Security Directorate stated that "Terrorism has no place among us" and that the suspects met their "just fate," without naming specific groups.

The initial attack occurred on Friday when three gunmen opened fire at a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Hamoud, a village located about 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. The Jordanian Ministry of Health reported eight deaths and 40 injuries. As of Monday, 27 victims remained hospitalized. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak said one patient was in critical condition following surgery.

Karak serves as a home for a large portion of Jordan's Christian minority, a community numbering roughly 300,000 in a country of 11.5 million. King Abdullah II stated that those responsible would face the "harshest penalties" and ordered a review of national security procedures. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are examining the factors that drive young people toward violence and will hold participants accountable.